Buttonhole-stitching machine.



@KlE-WICZ. BUTTONHULE STITCHING MACHIN'E.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZ. 1914.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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BUTTONHOLESTITCHING MACHINE.

APPUCAUUN men MLU. 1914.

1,188,943. Patented June 27,1916.

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www kwwmww J. KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE SITCHING MACHINE.

mmc/mon mio MAR.21,1914.

latvuted June 27, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENToFFroE.

JOHN KIEWICZ, 0F HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, yA CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-STITCHING MACHINE.

Specific:` tion of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application led March 27, 1914. v Serial No. 827,588.

. is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to buttonhole stitching machines, particularly of that type wherein a frame l:arrying the stitch forming mechanism on the lone hand, and a work support or clamp on the other hand are relatively movable so as to enable the stitching to be carried along the sides of the buttonhole and around its end or ends.

The` general object of the present invention is by reorganization of structure and mode of operation to generally improve the Tunning qualities and efficiency of buttonhole stitching machines, and to ypermit increase -of speed without. introducing objectionable shock, vibration'or noise.

VOther objects hereof will be made apparent during the' hereinafter following description of the nature of the invention.

It should be stated that the present application is the third of thre v4'applications led by me, referring respec ively to different portions of the same buttonhole stitching machine. Thus prior application, Se. No. 788,047, filed September 4, 1913, illustrates and covers in detail the driving and stopping mechanism of the stitching shaft, while prio'zapplication, Se. No. 827,276, filed March 26, 1914 refers to the general organization of the machine to the relation between the cutting and stitching instruments and subsidiary features. The present application is directed more particularly to the mechanisms which at different times rotate the feed shaft and the main cam, to detail lfeatures of construction thereof and to subsidiary and related features. Matters of detail not shown in the drawings hereof may be found in said prior applications, the three taken together completely illustrating the actual machine as constructed by me.

It will be understood that the hereinafter described illustration is but one example or In the accompanying four sheets of draw-y ings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a left elevation of a buttonhole stitching machine, with its'ba-se and legs omitted, embodying the present invention. In this and the other figures the parts are shown in that stage of operation where the work clamp has automatically opened but before the clamp plate has quite completed its rearward shifting movements to cutting position. This figure corresponds generally with Fig. 1 of said prior application, No. 827,276. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1. The side nearest the observer in thisv figure will be referred to as the right hand side of the machine. This ligure corresponds generally With Fig. 3 of said prior application, No. 827,276. Fig. 3 is a partial right elevation, and corresponds generally with Fig. 8 of said prior application Se. No. 827,276, and Fig. 1 of said prior application, Se. No. 788,047. Fig. 4 is a right hand elevation of the quick feed clutch taken partly in section on the plane 4-4, of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a central section,'seen from therear, of the same parts taken on the plane 5-5, of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa left elevation, that is to say looking at the right side of Fig. 5, with the end cap removed. Fig. 7 is a left elevation partly in section upon the plane 7-7 of Fig. 2 showing certain details of the pawl and ratchet devices for the feed shaft. Fig.

`8 shows in detail one of the pawls and its retracting pin. Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 7 taken on the plane 9 9 of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 shows a right hand elevation of certain parts seen in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a section on theplane 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in the several figures.

ing-clutch located at the rear left of the machine and to be hereinafter described in detail. This is one of two clutches, the other being the stitching clutch, seen in the upper part of Fig. 3, and one or the other of which is adapted to rotate the feed shaft 116 and thereby the m'ain cam 26. `The rotation of the main cam first effects the closing of the work clamp, it becoming locked upon the work, and next the operation of the cutter to cut'the buttonhole slit, and next the retraction of the cutter followed by a quick forward movement of the clamp plate from the initial or'cutting position to the position where stitching commences. Thereupon, the main cam operating through the shipper lever 28 automatically throws the quick feed? ing clutch out of action and throws the Vstitching clutch and Ythe stitch shaft 214 into action.- Stitching then proceeds and the shaft 214 effects not only the needle operation but also a slow or intermittent rotation of the feed shaft and main cam and thereby a slow step-by-step feed of the work. During the feed movement the clamp plate moves forwardly for the stitching of one edge and backwardly for the other edge, it having lateral movements at the two ends, and during vthe lateral movements the entire stitching mechanism revolves about its vertical axis so that the needles properly lay the stitches around the margin of the buttonhole slit. At the completion of the stitch' ing the main cam operates to stop the stitch shaft and as soon as that is properly stopped the shipper lever is permitted to effect the closing of the quick feed clutch, which through the feed shaft and main cam shifts the clamp plate quickly rearwardly to initial or cutting position. At the beginning of this quick rearward movement the clamp is automatically sprung open permitting the removal of the work. It is in this stage of the cycle of operations that the parts are illustrated in the drawings. The clamp plate .continues its rearward movement for a further extent at the end of which the clamp plate movement automatically effects the throwing out of the quick feed clutch and thus the entire machine is brought to rest ready for operation upon a second buttonhole, the start lever having resumed its normal position and being now in readiness for depression after the work is repositioned.

It will be appropriate to omit specific description of many of the stitching and cutting parts, which, per se, form no part of the present invention. K

The bed plate 20 may be swingingly attached to base 21, shown dotted in Fig. 1, and it supports the head 22, which has overhanging arm 24 supporting the upper, needle fittings. Beneath the bed plate is a circular casing 25 inclosing the large circular main vcam 26. The main cam affords general control of the machine, and itself is adapted to rotate first rapidly, then slowly, then rapidly, making a complete rotation during the formation of each buttonhole. The cam has peripheral teeth which are engaged byworm 117 on feed shaft 116 standing laterally near the rear of the machine, so that slow or rapid rotation of the feed shaft will impart corresponding rotation to the cam.

' The cam may have any number of operative portions for effecting or controlling the different operations of the machine, and while the details of the cam are not fully shown the cam grooves may be as follows The upper surface of the cam disk may have near the center a cutter-operating-cam, and outside that a cam for shifting the clamp plate forward and back, and near the periphery a cam 26C, which at proper time serves first to open the quick feed clutch and close the stitch clutch, afterward reversing these conditions. The underside of the cam disk may have near the center a cam groove for effecting lateral movements of the clamp plate, and outside that a camI groove for oscillating the stitching mechanism, and near the periphery a cam groove for closing the work clamp. Such a cam is, generally speaking, a well known element in this type of machine and it needs no further description or illustration.

A so-called shipper lever 28, shown dotted in Fig. 2, constitutes an important member of the machine. It comprises several portions which may be described 'as follows z-Its pivot 28a. permits horizontal swinging; a spring 28b tends to move it to the left thereby closing the quick feed clutch. Its rear extension 28c is to permit control of the shipper'lever at the starting and finishing of operations. Its extension 28d coperates with the quick feed clutch for controlling the latter. Its square recessed extension 28e cooperates with the stitch clutch so that the latter controls the closing of the quick feed clutch at the end of the stitching operations, and its extension 28? is for safety purposes, preventing the quick feed clutch closing while the needles are in the work.

The clamp plate 30 isat the forward upper side of the bed plate and is horizontally confined by guide ledges 31, which permit both forward and rear and lateral shifting. The clamp plate is opposed by the upper clamp members 32, which are automatically depressed at the beginning of operations and locked. The mechanism is seen in left elevation in Fig. 1, but it need not be described in detail, or further than to explain that the clamp is closed by a hook 47 pulling downwardly the swinging arm thehook beiner operated by the cam lever 48 normally held up by a spring 50, except when depressed by the main cam. At the end of the operations the clamp is automatically openedby the contact arm 53. During the forward movement of the clamp plate between cutting the stitching positions the buttonhole slit may be stretched open in any convenient automatic mode.

The forward and backward movements of the clamp plate are effected by a slide bar 63 moved forwardly and backwardly directly by the main cam, the slide having an upward projection at its front right hand corner serving to push and pull the plate. AThe side to side movements of the plate are effected' by a slide 72 having a lateral groove and tongue connection with the underside of the plate, the slide being pressed toward the right by a spring 7 3 and moved toward the left by connections from the cam lever 76, which is centrally pivoted andhas its rear end engaging the main cam.

The cutter81 is shown as a lever which may be centrally pivoted and provided with a rear extending portion directly 'contacting the main cam for the depression of the cutter at the proper times and its release. There may be an anvil opposed to and below the cutter, and this may l`e automatically shiftable into place wher. the cutter descends and out of place when the cutter rises.

The starting lever 100, when depressed by` the finger of the operator, may effect the commencement of operations and the throwing in of the quick feed clutch by the following mechanism. The start lever besides swinging is capable of sliding by reason of a sleeve 101 inter osed between it and a trigger post 102 Fig. 1), the spring 103 tending to hold the sleeve in lower position, the sleeve having a pair of notches at the lower edge, either of' which is adapted to engage an outstanding pin 104 on the trigger post. These two notches correspond with two positions which the starting lever may be made to assume bv horizontal swinging, the outer or left-hand position being inoperative and the lever only capable of descending when in the inner or right-hand position. The means which prevents the depression of the stai't lever, unless in the full line position, consists of the safety pin 105 depending from the lever adapted to enter a hole 106 in the bed plate corresponding to the right hand or operative position of the lever and pin. The'trigger post 102 is continued beneath the bed plate in the form of a trigger 107. By the described devices the start lever is capable of operating the trigger when and only when the parts are in the` proper position.

The depression of the start lever by swinging the trigger rearward releases the forward extension 109 of a locking lever 110 which is centrally ,pivoted near the left of the machine. At a later stage in the operations when it is desired to reset the locking lever a pushing spring 111 serves to forceto the right the rear end of the locking lever, thus bringing the forward end to the left of the trigger.

The rear end of the locking lever does not connect directly with the clutch of the feed shaft but controls the latter through certain other parts. Thus, an upwardly projecting stud, at the rear of lever 110, engages against a wedge rod 112, and the wedge rod engages against a downwardly projecting stud at the rear end of the extension E28C of the shipper lever 28. In this way the locking lever 110 normally holds the shipping lever to the right thereby maintaining the quick feed clutch open. When the start lever is deshipper lever is'pulled forcibly to the left by the spring 28h, which is of greater strength than the spring 111. The shipper lever in moving to the left operates, through its extension 28d, to effect the closing of the clutch, as will be later' described.

The wedge rod 112 will be seen to have a narrow portion at the extremity and a wider portion at the rear of the extremity, the two connected by an inclined wedge surface. Normally the narrow part of the wedge rod stands between the two studs, namely, those of lever 110 and extension 28C. In that condition the rod serves merely as a contacting communication between the two studs. In Fig. 2 the rod is shown in the act of moving forward for the purpose of wedgingv the shipper lever to the right thereby opening the quick feed clutch. This movement is effected through a spring actuated lever 113 centrally pivoted and having a contact 114 adapted to contact directly with the rear of the sliding bar 63, which effects the rearward movement of the clamp plate. Thus, at the end of theoperations of stitching a biittonhole the return of the clamp plate to initial position operates. through the lever 113 and the wedge rod 112, to automatically stop the machine.

The feed shaft 110 serves to drive the niain cani 20 by a worin 117 on the shaft engaging inclined teeth around the periphery of the cam. The left end of the feed shaft is provided with a belt pulley 118, and outside of that ma)v be provided a handle for hand adjustment. the details and operation of which will later be herein described. Suffice it. at this point, to sa)v that the clutch comprises a portion 119 b v which the clutch is controlled. The part 119 when pushed to the left closes the clutch so that the belt pulley drives the feed shaft, and at other pressed and the locking lever released the times the pulley runs idly. The shipper lever controls the condition of the clutch by means of a grooved collar 120 engaged by a yoke provided at the extremity of the extension 28d of the shipperlever, so that the swinging of the shipper lever to the left closes the clutch. The spring 28h, which tends to swing the shipper lever to the left thereby iends to close the clutch, and, on the other hand, the clutch is opened twice during the making of each buttonhole, first by the main cam shifting the shipper lever at the time the stitching mechanism is thrown into operation, and finally by the wedge rod 112 when the machine is brought to final stop. It should be stated that the outer groove 26C at the upper side of the main cam effects the swinging of the shipper lever at the same time that the cam closes the stitch shaft clutch, and the precise connections will be more easily described in connection with the stitching mechanism.

The stitching mechanism itself comprises the reciprocating* upper needle bar 124 eccentrically carrying an eye-pointed needle 125. Beneath the upper needle is the under stitching mechanism comprising an oscillating stock 126 carrying the under needle, looper, takeup and other movable parts so that they may be bodily rotated in unison with the rotation of the upper needle carrier. The under needle is preferably curved land moves up and down in a curved path.

The rotation of the stitching mechanisms may be effected by the pinions 131 connected with toothed segments 132 mounted at the ends of a vertical shaft 133, having a rock arm 134 operated from the main cam. The details of the under-stitching mechanism will notbe further referred to except to state that the movable parts are operated by an actuator 149, which is reciprocated vertically by a lever 170 swung by an eccentric rod 172, which receives its motion from ythe stitch shaft 214 The reference numbers used herein correspond throughout with those used in said prior application, Se. No. 827,276, and the references herein from 214 to 289, inclusive, correspond with the references 14 to 89 respectively in said prior application Se. No. 778,047.

Referring now more particularly to the details of theI quick feed clutch, this is located at the left end of the feed shaft 116. I have already above referred to the belt pulley 118 and also to the part 119 of the clutch by which its operation is controlled. The grooved collar 120, which operates it, is best seen in Fig. 5. It may be merely a loose collar susceptible of rotation and adaptable to longitudinal sliding as compelled by the extension 28d of the shipper lever which engages in the groove. A leftward movement of the shipper lever and collar, that is to say a rightward movement in Fig. 5, actuates the clutch, part 119 to close the clutch so that the feed shaft 116 rotates' with the pulley 118. The actual clutching` is effected between an expansible ring 180 carried concentrically at the outside of the ,pulley 118, and a cylindrical case 'or cap 181 secured to the shaft 116 by a pin 182. The interior cylindrical surface of the cap 181 is as shown the portion engaged by the expansible ring.

The expansible ring is split at one side to permit its expansion, and the clutch part- 119, already` referred to, is adapted to effect the expansion, as follows z-The part 119 is shown as a bent lever, pivoted at 183, and having at its extremity within the cap 181 a wedge block 184, this arrangement being such that when the grooved collar 120 pushes on the clutch lever 119 the wedge block 184 is forced between the separated ends of the expansible ring so as to expand the ring into intimate contact with the interior of the cap; the expansible ring, the cap and the shaft substantially one. A proper relation between the collar 120, operatedr by the Shipper lever, and the clutch lever 119 may be secured by adjustment, an adjustable contact 185 being shown for that purpose. The pivot of the clutch lever 119 is afforded by a bridge 186 secured to the inner face of the pulley 118.

lVi't'h this construction it will be understood that normally the pulley, the expansible ring and the clutch lever are being rapidly rotated by the belt, while the feed shaft, the clutch cap and the grooved collar are not in operative engagement with the rotating parts. When the shipper lever shifts the grooved collar outwardly it operates the clutch lever to expand' the ring against the cap so that the shaft is compelled to rotate with .the pulley.

Referring now to the driving and stopping connections for the stitching mechanism, they comprise a stitch shaft 214 from which the needle movements are received, this shaft being a horizontal, lateral shaft parallel to the feed shaft 116 and mounted in suitable bearings in the head 22. Many details referred to particularly in said prior application Se. No. 778,047, will not be particularly described herein. Fast on the stitch shaft 214 is a belt pulley 216, to and from which a belt may be shifted by a suitable belt shifter.

The stopping device 230 serves both to shift the belt and to apply a brake, and it consists cfa hollow upright portion 231` from which forwardly extends the arm 232 secured to the shaft 233, so that by swinging the shaft the stop device may be moved toward and from the stitch shaft 214. A yielding lug 234 is formed at the upper end of a bolt 235 thus rendering the pulley,

quick feed clutch is closed the worm on the feed shaft drives the main cam 26 at fairly high speed, during which the cutting is effected and the clamp is quickly shifted from cutting to stitching position, whereupon the main cam operates to lift the pin 279 and throw out the quick feed clutch and to throw in the stitch shaft clutch; thereupon the stitching proceeds and simultaneously the feed shaftis slowly revolved from the stitch shaft. For example, this may be done by an eccentric or cam 300 on the stitch shaft, Fig. 3, coperating with a yoke 301 forming a part of a bell crank lever, whose other portion or arm 302 is connected by a downward link 303 with an oscillating arm 304, whose oscillation serves, through a pawl carrying device 305, to intermittently advance a ratchet wheel 306 fast on the feed shaft. At the end of the stitching operation, after the clamp has moved step by step through its necessary path and the stitching mechanism has revolved about the ends of the buttonhole, the main cam releases the upright pin 279, thereby permitting the stitch shaft stopping device to come into play to stop the stitch shaft. As soon as this is effected the ship er lever is permitted to reinstate the quie feed clutch so that the feed shaft resumes its fast rotation thereby causing the clamp plate to quickly move from stitching to cuttin position. The operations terminate by the automatic throwing of the shipper lever b the wedge rod 112 to disconnect the quick eed clutch leaving the feed shaft and cam stationary. In the meanwhile the start lever has risen and resumed its original position, this having occurred at the time that the main cam, acting through the pin 279, effected the shifting of the shipper lever to Iihrow the stitch mechanism into operatio To this machine, which at best is somewhat nois I have provided an improvement ten ing to reduce noise and at the same time to reduce wear. This improvement comprises in' combination with the `main cam, operated first from the quick feed clutch and then by the pawl and ratchet device from the stitch shaft, of means whereby the pawl and ratchet are disengaged from each other automatically during the rotation of the feed shaft by the quick feed clutch.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 and Figs. 7 to 11, the pawl within the hollow carrier 305 may consist, in fact, of a plurality4 of pawls 307 t0 give quicker engagement with the ratchet wheel 306. Each pawl is so mounted within the carrier that it may be thrown into or out of engagement with the ratchet, and such adjustment may be effected from the exterior. For example, a control piece 310, Figs. 2 and 9 may be laterally slidahle through a slide rod 309 and may have for each pawl 307 a pin 311 extending through the carrier 305. The control piece is shown in right-hand position in Fig. 2, and in that position the pins hold the pawls inoperative. A light plate spring 312 presses on the end of the rod 309 and tends to move the pins 311 and the control piece leftward to release the pawls and allow them to become operative. The pins retract the pawls in any simple manner, for example, by forming pawls and pinsr with inclined surfaces adapted to wedge the pawls from the ratchet Wheel.

T o move and hold the control piece. in the position shown a pawl controlling lever 313 may be employed, this being centrally pivoted and having its rearward arm opposite the control piece so as to push the latter against the resistancevof spring 312. At its forward extremity the lever 313 has an inclined faced contact 314, whereby the rotating main cam 26 may, at suitable times, swing the lever against the resistance of a strong spring 315. As the parts are shown the spring 315 has pulled the lever 313 overcoming the Spring 312 and rendering the pins 311 operative and the pawls 307 inoperative. The main camA is provided with a slight downwardly projecting peripheral flange 26g, and this flange has a shoulder at 316, which, as the cam rotates leftwise, contacts the contact 314 throwing the control lever 313 and permitting the pawls to become operative. The rotation of the cam holds the lever in such position until the reverse shoulder 317 comes around to the contact piece when the spring 315 acts to throw the pawls into inoperative position. The parts are so timed that the pawls engage the ratchet 306 While the stitching proceeds and dlsengages the ratchet wheel while the quick feed clutch is in operation.

It will be noticed that a drum 318 having hub 322 is shown on the feed shaft 116, near the left side of the ratchet wheel 306. The ratchet may be secured by screws upon the .hub of the drum. This drum is hollow and contains an expansible ring 323 similar to the ring 180 of the quick feed clutch. This ring is anchored by a pin 324 and is intended to be expanded so as to impose a controlling friction upon the drum 318, and, therefore, upon the feed shaft during the step by step intermittent feed of the shaft; thereby preventing overrunning. A forwardly extending wedge arm 319 is engaged in the split of the ring, and shaped so that swinging the arm expands the ring. The

arm 319 has opposite lugs 325 engaging in notches in the ring, see Figs. 10 and 11, and a flange 326 located opposite the lugs holds the parts in place. The arm 319 is adapted to be depressed by the swinging of the lever 3 13, the latter having a rlghtward extension 320 for that purpose, but in order that within the hollow member 231 and is adapted to engage a coperating lug 241 which rotates with the shaft. The bolt at its lower pnd has a strong spring 236 tending to hold ug 240 on shaft 214 has a lug 241 projecting therefrom so as to engage at certain times with the yielding lug 234. The lug 241 may also be yielding. A

When the stop device 230 is swung t0- ward the driving shaft the lugf234 extends in the path of the lug 241, so that the latter strikes the former for stopping the shaft. In the illustrated construction however the engagement of the lugs is preceded by a shifting of the belt to the loose pulley and is accompanied by the application o-f the brake. Thus the shifting of the belt is effected by the upward swinging movement of the stop device 230 through connections, not shown, between the device and the belt shifter, and the brake is applied by the resilient yielding of the lug 234 acting upon a brake lever 253, the latter carrying a brake shoe 254 adapted to be pressed against the 'circumference of the drum or hub 240 through a stiff spring 255. The brake lever is shwn pivot/ed to a fixed bracket 257 and the levers rear extremity extends into a recess 258if0rmed in the hollow member 231 and a recess 259 in thebolt 235, so that in the final stoppage of the stitch shaft the lifting of the bolt by the contacting of the lugs 234, 241, applies the brake, all as more full described in said prior application, Se.- o. 827,276.

The control of the stopping devices from the main cam may be effected by the following arrangement which, as before stated, also effects a control of the clutch of the feed shaft. Referring to Fig. 3, the short shaft 233 has rigidly movable with it three parts, namely,the supporting arm 232 for the stop device, also a downwardly projecting arm 268 and also a forward extension 277 having a contact pin 278 at the front of it. These associated elements may be bodily tilted or swung to a slight extent from the main cam by means of a vertically slidingpin 279,v whose lower end rests upon the cam groove 26c of the main cam. At the proper time the main cam lifts the pin'279, which lifts the extension 277, thereby swinging the shaft 233 and the arms 232 and 268.

A spring is employed tending always to swing the extension 277 downward or to swing the stop device 230 inward.

Vhen the main cam lifts the extension 27 7 and swings forwardly the arm 268 the latter, which is engaged in the square recess 28e of the shipper lever (as seen in Fig. 2,), serves to swing the shipper lever so as to open the quick feed clutch; at the same time the supporting arm 232 in swinging downwardly carries the stopping device out- 234 in lowered position. A hollow hubv rim of the hub 240.

this causes the stopping device to come into play to stop the stitch shaft. The stoppage does not take place instantaneously. The stopping device springs forward. It is provided with a guard 287', which contacts the A notch 289 in that hub releases the guard at a proper point in the rotation and afterward the guard is restored under control of the spring 288. lVhen the guard has dropped into the notch the lugs 234 and 241 are adapted to engage, and after a portion of a revolution they do engage, so that with the aid of the brake shoe the stitch shaft is brought positively, yet easily, to -.a definite stopped position with both needles disengaged from the work. At the end of this stitching operation the safety device may be provided to prevent this occurring until after the stitch shaft has been brought to rest in proper position.

This safety device includes a locking arm 271 loosely mounted on shaft 233 and projecting downwardly to the rear of the eXtension 28f of the shipper lever. The locking arm 271 is provided with an upward eX- tension 272 adapted to drop into a notch 273 in the hub 240 when the stitch .shaft is brought to rest with the needles out of the work. If the shaft is brought to rest in any other position the extension 272 is unable to drop into the notch so that the arm 271 holds the shipper lever extension 28forward, thus preventing the shipper lever from swinging under the influence of its spring 28 to close the quick feed clutch.

The operation of the needles, it willbe understood, is effected from the' operation of the stitch shaft 214. Reference has already been made to the eccentric rod '172 which4 derives its motion from the stitch shaft for actuating the under needle and associated parts; and analogous eccentrics and connecting levers will be understood to extend between the stitch shaft and the needle bar 124 carrying the upper needle. Preferably one complete rotation of the stitch shaft puts the stitching mechanism through one cycle of operations for making one stitch, so that a stoppage of the shaft in proper position will always bring the needles into proper position, namely, disengaged from the work so as to permit the quick feeding movement of the clamp plate to restore it to cutting or initial position.

It will be understood that in the first stage of the operation of the machine while the the action may not be positive a spring 321 Yis interposed between the parts 319, 320,

so that only a limited friction is imposed upon the drum, serving merely as a light brake to prevent overrunning.

It will be thus seen that I have described a buttonhole machine attaining the objects and advantages and embodying the novel principles of the present invention.

Since many matters of design, detail and other features may be variously modified without departing from the main principles hereof, no limitation to such features is intended excepting so far as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism, drive means therefor, a movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a feed shaft, a drum or cap on said feed shaft, a rotating expansible and contractibie ring concentric with the cap, drive means for said ring, an axially movable device for expanding and contracting said ring, connections whereby the stitching mechanism driving means rotates the shaft, and a shipper lever adapted to move said device to disengage the ring and cap when the stitching mechanism operates.

2. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism, a movable work clamp, means for shiftmg the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a feed shaft,l driving means for stitching mechanism, a cylindrical drum on said feed shaft, a rotating expansible and contractible ring concentric with the drum and adapted to engage and dsengage it, driving means for constantly rotating said ring, connections whereby the stitching mechanism driving means when in operation rotates said shaft, a control cam driven by said shaft, said cam adapted after a given rotation to disengage drum and ring and at the same time to cause the drive of the stitching mechanism, and subsequently after the buttonhole is stitched to stop the stitching and renga ge the drum and ring.

3. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching mechanism, driving means therefor, va movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a feed shaft, a drum or cap on said shaft, a rotating expansible and contractible ring concentrically engageable with the drum, and a device for expanding and contracting said ring and a control means or cam adapted after a given feed shaft rotation to disengage drum and ring and cause the stitch driving means to operate, and after the buttonhole is stitched to stop the stitching and rengage the drum and ring.

' 4. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching 'mechanism, driving means therefor, a movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a feed v shaft, a drum or cap on said shaft, a rotating by the travel of the clamp for finally disengaging them.

5. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching mechanism, a

movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feedmovements including a feed shaft, a quick driving means for rotating said feed shaft when the machine is not stitching, for quickly shifting the work clamp between initial and stitching positions, a pawl and ratchet device whereby the stitching mechanism effects slower rotation of the feed shaft during stitching, and an automatic device for disengaging pawl and ratchet when the quick driving means is operating the feed shaft and the stitching mechanism is inoperative.

6. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching mechanism, a movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a feed shaft, a quick driving means for rotating said feed shaft when the machine is not stitching, for quickly shifting the work .clamp between initial and stitching positions, a pawl and ratchet device whereby the stitching mechanism effects slower rotation of the feed shaft during stitching, and an automatic device for disengaging pawl and ratchet when the quick driving means is operating the feed shaft and the stitching mechanism is inoperative, and means operated by said automatic device for effecting a drag on the shaft during the active operation of the pawl.

7. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching mechanism, a movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements including a vfeed shaft, a quick driving means adapted to rotate said feed shaft when the machine is not stitching, for quickly shifting the work clamp between initial and stitching positions, a pawl and ratchet device whereby the stitching mechanism effects slower rotation of the feed shaft during stitching, a device for disengaging pawl and ratchet when the quick driving means is operating the feed shaft and the stitching mechanism is inoperative, and a cam driven by said feed shaft, adapted to automatically operate said device at the proper times.

8. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination, stitching mechanism, a movable work clamp, means for shifting the clamp through its suitable feed movements.

including a feed shaft, a quick driving means adapted to rotate said feed shaft when the machine vis not stitching, for quickly shifting the work clamp between initial and stitching positions, a pawl and ratchet device whereby the stitching mechanism effects slower rotation ofthe feed shaft during stitching, a device for disengaging pawl and ratchet when the quick driving means is operating the feed shaft and the stitching mechanism is inoperative, and a cam 4driven by said feed shaft, adapt,- ed-to automatically'operate said device at the proper times, said device comprising a swinging lever bearing` on said cam and connected to lift the pawl from its ratchet in one adjustment, and in another adjustment to apply the pawl to the ratchet and apply frictional drag to the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KIEWICZ. \Vitnesses:

TERENCE D. GORDON, J. WARREN NICHOLS. 

